In 2011, the Sister Wives Blog started out as a place to talk about the TLC reality show "Sister Wives", Kody Brown and his wives Christine, Robyn, Meri and Janelle. Today we not only discuss the show, we discuss Polygamy in our society, and the public perceptions of the Mormon Religion. We discuss "Polygamy USA" and will be covering "My 5 Wives."
This blog is geared towards the adult reader, so please, no one under the age of 18 years. Thank you!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

News about Sister Wives....Bigamy Probe

Polygamist Kody Brown -- star of the TLC reality show "Sister Wives" -- says a police investigation into his multiple marriages is destroying his 21-member family ... and it just ain't fair.

Brown and fam just filed new court docs in Salt Lake City to support their lawsuit against Utah, which challenges the state's bigamy law ... claiming it's simply unconstitutional.

In the docs, Brown rails against a police investigation into the family that was launched shortly after his reality show debuted last year ... claiming the looming threat of prosecution is turning off employers and taking a toll on his family's health.

Kody explains ... wife #1, Meri Brown, was fired from her job because her employers were concerned about the investigation ... noting, "Our continued labeling as presumptive felons has proven a barrier in finding new positions."

According to the L.A. Times, Kody also claimed the family freaks out every time they see a police car ... afraid officers are coming to split up the family and arrest the adults.

in fact, Kody claims the situation has caused wife #4, Robyn Sullivan, to suffer a "dangerous" loss in weight.
As TMZ previously reported, NO ONE has been convicted on bigamy charges in Utah in recent memory ... but if the Browns become the first, they could face up to 5 years in prison. ________________________________
The family from cable television's polygamous "Sister Wives" reality show has told a federal judge in Utah how much they've been hurt by the threat of prosecution under the state's bigamy law.
Kody Brown and his wives wrote in new court papers that they've lost jobs, were forced to move to Nevada and suffered harm to their reputations after police launched an investigation last year after the fall 2010 launch of their TLC show.
In July, Brown and wives Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robin, filed a lawsuit challenging Utah's bigamy law in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court. They contended that the law is unconstitutional and unfairly applied to polygamists.
"Because the Browns are open about their polygamist lifestyle, the criminal bigamy statute has the effect of publicly labeling them as presumptive felons," the Brown's Washington, D.C.-based attorney, Jonathan Turley, wrote in court papers filed Monday. "The statute further brands them as immoral and societal outsiders."
The court papers were a response to petition filed by the Utah Attorney General's Office asking a federal judge to dismiss the case. It wasn't clear on Tuesday whether a judge would issue a decision based on the court pleadings or schedule a hearing for oral arguments.
State prosecutors contend the Browns - who haven't been charged - aren't facing any real harm and won't likely face prosecution, because the state has rarely prosecuted individuals for bigamy without also prosecuting underlying crimes, such as underage marriages, abuse or welfare fraud.
But the Browns said the harms to their family are real and that the public statements of Utah County prosecutors actually support their contention that prosecution remains a threat. In one magazine article, for example, Deputy Utah County Attorney Donna Kelley said "the Browns have definitely made it easier for us by admitting to felonies on national TV."
Turley contended that such statements have had a "chilling effect" on the family's right to free speech, influencing what they can say publicly or on their television show, and curtailing their ability to practice their religion.
Affidavits from Kody, Meri and Janelle Brown detailed the financial impact on the family. Those included a loss of sales accounts for Kody Brown and the termination of Meri Brown's employment because her bosses were concerned about the criminal investigation and the public statements suggesting she was a felon.
"Our continued labeling as presumptive felons has proven a barrier in finding new positions for the adults in Nevada," Kody Brown stated in his affidavit.
Other financial impacts included a loss of health insurance, moving expenses, increased housing expenses and travel expenses because the Browns must travel back to Utah if they want to attend their church.
The Browns also stated that their children - more than a dozen of them - have also suffered at school, where some of the children have endured remarks about their family being labeld as criminals.
"We literally live day to day without knowing whether our family will be destroyed by a decision of some prosecutor in Utah to charge us," Janelle Brown's affidavit stated.
Under Utah law, it is illegal for unmarried persons to cohabitate, or "purport" to be married. A person is also guilty of bigamy if they hold multiple legal marriage licenses.
The third-degree felony is punishable by up to five years in state prison. Both men and women can be prosecuted under the law, which also applies to unmarried, monogamous couples that live together.
The Browns are members of the Apostolic United Brethren, one of handful of self-described Mormon fundamentalist churches that continue the practice as part of their faith. The polygamy advocacy group Principles Voices estimates there are about 40,000 fundamentalists who practice or believe in polygamy living in Utah and other western states. The practice is a legacy of the early teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The mainstream church abandoned polygamy in 1890 as Utah moved toward statehood.
Like most polygamists in Utah, Brown is legally married only to his first wife, Meri. He subsequently "wed" Janelle, Christine and Robyn only in religious ceremonies and the couples consider themselves "spiritually married."

29 comments:

Seriously, you have GOT to be kidding me. Janelle: "We literally live day to day without knowing whether our family will be destroyed by a decision of some prosecutor in Utah to charge us" Liar, liar, pants on fire Janelle.

I really hope someone in Utah judicial system gets tired of this bullshit, poking of the hornets nest and actually DOES start making their lives a living hell.

Wendy your comments are hilarious and spot on. This lawsuit is a big crock. I mean please, the family comes out on national tv and admits to breaking the law... again on freaking national tv and then has the audacity to sue? I'm also speechless at the number of weak-minded emotional nonthinkers supporting this clan and actually feeling sorry for them.

All I know is that Robyn's boobs got bigger prepregnancy while she is stated to have lost weight. From flat as a pancake to way busty on the Ellen show last year. Ok that had nothing to do with the lawsuit haha but I'm just happy to find thus forum so I can comment about it.

What is different from any family going on a reality show and admitting to breaking a law like say growing pot and then suing for being investigated? Complete and utter hogwash.

This really is disappointing.They don't want us to talk about them, then they file something that has such ridicilous things.They live better than most of us!Sad bunch of people. Sadder who will buy off them. Kody has sold 2 grand of that stuff?

I wish they would impose stiff penalties on attys who file frivolous cases like this. That is the only way it would stop. As it stands, just the notoriety of being attached to a 'celebrity' makes it worth their while.

Oh, and one more thing. The claim that they've been financially harmed by the Utah law is ridiculous.

They were not arrested, arraigned, or convicted of anything.

This would be similar to me saying that I've been financially harmed by my credit score and that my score is like a scarlett A on my back. So I sue the credit scoring agency for financial harm because I don't like their rules.

Or, it would be similar to me suing the State of Arizona for their traffic cameras because it slows traffic so much and prevents me from getting to work on time, resulting in my job termination. And now I live in California because I couldn't find another job.

Their antics this last week, well this last 2 days, has really annoyed me. Nonsense with the FB page, this lawsuit, and the stupid immoral Liv program. They are more likely to see the inside of a jail from the Liv scam than they were to be arrested for polig.

Now you can arrest them for anything. I don't care. They deserve to just go away. This may start slapping back on TLC. While TLC is fine with increased ratings of course, they may not be fine with the backlash and potential problems from the crap these folks get into. I'm not liking this family at all anymore.

I'd bite them but don't want to get germs in mouth. Their products damn sure wouldn't cure me from their germs.

LMAO Border Collie ...No worries bc I think Karma has ur back on this one! Karma's bite will be severe & her wrath will be unleashed bc afterall Karma's a bitch & she's beyond pissed!!..lol Everyone has valid points here too! Heck Utah should use ya'll for their litigation team against the Brown's :)Also pretty damn convenient Jody's speaking debut is weekend of the episode that Wives start being "health conscious " ....they're just working every PR angle possible :/

C Brownie, this BC is looking for Karma right now. I already found a St Bernard and he said even he can't save these folks. So when Karma gets to them, it's all over.

Looks like there are a lot of us who are so over being nice and accepting of these folks, and giving them the benefit of the doubt. I don't care how inferior that bird Robyn makes them feel. They deserve it.

I don't care if a bunch of women are so lacking in self-esteem that they need to all Hop On The Same Pop...as long as they keep children out of the equation. Of course...that isn't possible with Mormon Polygamy/Plural Wifery because that's all about the number of so-called Chosen Progeny that will supposedly bestow upon the human with the penis his "Eternal Glory".

What I do care about is a guy who can't support his concubines or his progeny but whose "family values" allow him to take public funds and file bankruptcy numerous times. The Browns are a self-absorbed, pitiful joke...

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